AXT, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter 2015 Financial Results

FREMONT, CA--(Marketwired - Feb 24, 2016) - AXT, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXTI), a leading manufacturer of compound semiconductor substrates, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2015.

Fourth Quarter 2015 Results

Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $18.1 million compared with $18.4 million in the third quarter of 2015.

Gross margin was 17.1 percent of revenue for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with 25.1 percent of revenue in the third quarter of 2015.

Operating expenses were $4.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with $5.3 million in the third quarter of 2015. 

Operating loss for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $1.7 million compared with $0.7 million in the third quarter of 2015. 

Net interest and other income for the fourth quarter of 2015 was $0.1 million, compared with $0.8 million in the third quarter of 2015.

Net loss in the fourth quarter of 2015 was $1.2 million compared with a net profit of $42,000 the third quarter of 2015.

Management Qualitative Comments
"2015 was a year of transformation for AXT as we continued to realign our business with the trends that are driving growth in compound semiconductor substrates," said Morris Young, chief executive officer. "We focused on strategic investments in our technology and manufacturing capabilities that would improve our competitive positioning, and enable us to drive better consistency and efficiency across our substrate portfolio. We are pleased with these investments, and in the early results of our efforts. Although raw material pricing is providing a near-term headwind, we expect to continue to see a positive shift in our revenue mix in 2016 driven by InP, providing the potential for both revenue and margin expansion."

Conference Call
The company will host a conference call to discuss these results today at 1:30 p.m. PT. The conference call can be accessed at (719) 325-2323 (passcode 5401451). The call will also be simulcast on the Internet at www.axt.com. Replays will be available at (719) 457-0820 (passcode 5401451) until March 1, 2016. Financial and statistical information to be discussed in the call will be available on the company's website immediately prior to commencement of the call. Additional investor information can be accessed at http://www.axt.com or by calling the company's Investor Relations Department at (510) 438-4700.

About AXT, Inc.
AXT designs, develops, manufactures and distributes high-performance compound and single element semiconductor substrates comprising indium phosphide (InP), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and germanium (Ge) through its manufacturing facilities in Beijing, China. In addition, AXT maintains its sales, administration and customer service functions at its headquarters in Fremont, California. The company's substrate products are used primarily in lighting display applications, wireless communications, fiber optic communications and solar cell applications. Its vertical gradient freeze (VGF) technique for manufacturing semiconductor substrates provides significant benefits over other methods and enabled AXT to become a leading manufacturer of such substrates. AXT has manufacturing facilities in China and invests in joint ventures in China producing raw materials. For more information, see AXT's website at http://www.axt.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
The foregoing paragraphs contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws, including, for example, statements regarding the market demand for our products, our market opportunity, and our expectations with respect to our business prospects. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to the company's operations and business environment, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements contained in the foregoing discussion. These uncertainties and factors include but are not limited to: overall conditions in the markets in which the company competes; global financial conditions and uncertainties; policies and regulations in China; market acceptance and demand for the company's products; the impact of factory closures or other events causing delays by our customers on the timing of sales of our products; our ability to control costs, our ability to utilize our manufacturing capacity; product yields and their impact on gross margins; and other factors as set forth in the company's annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Each of these factors is difficult to predict and many are beyond the company's control. The company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

FINANCIAL TABLES TO FOLLOW

AXT, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited, in thousands)
				December 31,				December 31,
				2015				2014
Assets:
Current assets
	Cash and cash equivalents			$	24,875			$	28,814
	Short-term investments				11,437				12,340
	Accounts receivable, net				18,468				17,864
	Inventories				38,012				38,574
	Related party notes receivable - current				--				171
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets				4,096				5,430
		Total current assets			96,888				103,193
Long-term investments					7,691				7,783
Property, plant and equipment, net					31,422				33,862
Related party notes receivable - long-term					1,781				1,704
Other assets					14,114				14,975
		Total assets		$	151,896			$	161,517
Liabilities and stockholders' equity:
Current liabilities
	Accounts payable			$	6,460			$	7,137
	Accrued liabilities				6,381				7,634
		Total current liabilities			12,841				14,771
Long-term portion of royalty payments					1,150				1,725
Other long-term liabilities					344				333
		Total liabilities			14,335				16,829
Stockholders' equity:
	Preferred stock				3,532				3,532
	Common stock				32				32
	Additional paid-in capital				194,646				195,419
	Accumulated deficit				(70,621	)			(68,393	)
	Accumulated other comprehensive income				4,382				7,673
		Total AXT, Inc. stockholders' equity			131,971				138,263
Noncontrolling interest					5,590				6,425
		Total stockholders' equity			137,561				144,688
		Total liabilities and stockholders' equity		$	151,896			$	161,517

AXT, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)
				Three Months Ended								Tweleve Months Ended
				December 31,								December 31,
				2015				2014				2015				2014
Revenue				$	18,057			$	19,567			$	77,502			$	83,499
Cost of revenue					14,967				14,596				60,673				66,332
Gross profit					3,090				4,971				16,829				17,167
Operating expenses:
	Selling, general and administrative				3,379				4,341				16,064				14,970
	Research and development				1,377				1,222				5,664				4,144
	Restructuring charge				--				--				--				907
		Total operating expenses			4,756				5,563				21,728				20,021
Income (loss) from operations					(1,666	)			(592	)			(4,899	)			(2,854	)
Interest income, net					105				123				412				483
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures					(315	)			26				462				1,528
Other income (expense), net					268				111				2,023				361
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes					(1,608	)			(332	)			(2,002	)			(482	)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes					197				(39	)			531				215
Net income (loss)					(1,805	)			(293	)			(2,533	)			(697	)
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest					562				(18	)			305				(691	)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXT, Inc.				$	(1,243	)		$	(311	)		$	(2,228	)		$	(1,388	)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXT, Inc. per common share:
	Basic			$	(0.04	)		$	(0.01	)		$	(0.07	)		$	(0.05	)
	Diluted			$	(0.04	)		$	(0.01	)		$	(0.07	)		$	(0.05	)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
	Basic				31,951				32,558				32,183				32,452
	Diluted				31,951				32,558				32,183				32,452